


Nobody Said It Was Easy

by Remaerd



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Long-Distance Relationship, Marriage, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-06-04 11:47:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6656614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Remaerd/pseuds/Remaerd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“What do you think about Yasuko?”</p><p>It was crazy. </p><p>They were thousands of miles away from each other and talking casually about baby names over the phone. Considering the circumstances, though, there was nothing else in the world Korra would rather be doing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nobody Said It Was Easy

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Coldplay's "The Scientist".

**i.**

 

It was late one Saturday night that Korra voiced some of the thoughts she usually kept in a box shut tight inside her head.

“You know.” Korra started then paused and ran her hand through Asami’s long tangled hair. Doing so was no easy feat. She gave up and pulled the woman lying on her chest closer, like an inch of space between their pajama-clad bodies would be too much.

Asami’s ear was pressed to Korra’s chest, listening to her steady heartbeat. “I know a lot things, blue eyes,” she teased. Her fingers absentmindedly traced the muscle of Korra’s abdomen under her shirt. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Hmm,” Korra tapped her chin thoughtfully and the older woman laughed, “that’s going to be a challenge, but okay. Did know that I could see myself spending the rest of my life with you,” she confessed softly, and she felt Asami’s breath stutter against her neck, felt her hand stop tracing the muscles of her stomach. “In fact, that’s all I’ve been thinking about lately. Spending the rest of my life with you.”

A few Satomobiles honked outside of Korra’s apartment because some people never sleep in Los Angeles, but at that moment, Korra felt like time stopped. Just for the two of them.

Asami stared at her with an emotion Korra couldn’t name. “What are you trying to say, Korra?” she asked slowly, desperately.

Korra avoided her eyes. “I-I, well-we-” Her words came out jumbled; rushed and mismatched. She exhaled slowly, organizing her thoughts. “Most of the time all I think about is you and me having a kid someday and hey—I know what you’re thinking. I’m twenty-two, you’re twenty-four. We’re too young and busy with our careers for this to work out. You just started working at your dad’s company while I’m not even done with college yet. But I will be in a few months, and I—damn it, Asami, I want to be with you for the rest of my life–”

Asami leaned up, grabbed Korra’s face, and kissed the words out of her mouth. “Sorry, sorry.” She smiled with the corner of her mouth, her voice low and alluring. “Couldn’t help myself. Continue.”

Korra smiled and swallowed nervously. “I wanted to wait. Do it over a candlelit dinner six years from now like the romantic woman I am.”

Asami snorted, and she pressed a hand over her mouth.

“But, honestly.” Korra shrugged a shoulder hopelessly, her piercing blue eyes finding Asami’s in the darkness of her bedroom. “I want the whole world to know you’re mine. You’re all I want, and we don’t have to do anything immediately, we can wait…”

Asami sucked in a sharp, shuddery breath, and Korra grabbed her left hand hidden under the blanket covering their bodies and squeezed it, slipped a ring onto one of the fingers. “Asami Sato, will you-?”

“Yes-yes.”

“-marry me?”

“Yes.” Asami said against Korra’s lips with tears streaming down her face. She kissed Korra again for emphasis, and then dropped her forehead onto her fiancé’s. “Yes, yes, yes.”

“Are you sure?” Korra checked, laughing lightly.

“Are you kidding me? Yes!” Asami let out a watery laugh and caressed Korra’s warm cheek with the pads of her fingertips. “I am so in love with you it’s not even funny and nothing in the world would make me happier than to spend the rest of my life with you as your wife.”

What Korra saw in her expression was enough to tell her that Asami meant it, and she buried her hands in Asami’s hair and kissed her with everything she had, everything she wanted them to be.

“I want to get your father’s permission,” Korra said when they parted, their lips brushing.

“We don’t live in the 1940s, blue eyes. You don’t need to get my father’s permission to marry me.”

“I know, I know, but he’s a good man. I really admire him and I want tell him the news in person. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”

Asami nestled her face into Korra’s neck and Korra could hear the smile in her voice, could feel every breath hitting her neck. “Don’t you have work tomorrow?”

“I’ll call in sick.”

“Good.” Asami smoothed her hand down the younger woman’s oversized sweatshirt. “You work too much anyway. Maybe we can make breakfast together before you talk to daddy.”

“Sounds like a plan, wifey.” The words rolled off of Korra’s tongue easily.

“Oh my god.” Asami sat up suddenly. Her green eyes wide and her mouth quirked up on one side. “We’re getting married.”

“We’re getting married,” Korra confirmed, her voice soft.

They talked and laughed like best friends and made love for the first time that night.

Korra’s voice was a whisper when she said, “I love you, Asami,” just before drifting off to sleep.

Asami sighed and snuggled deeper into Korra’s warm embrace, cocooning herself. “I love you, too, Korra. So much.”

* * *

Hiroshi Sato had a white beachfront three-story house with black trim and a wraparound porch. It faced the ocean along with a row of a few other identical white houses, all with luscious rolling green lawns, where people with too much money and not enough free time sent their families for the summer.

Korra grabbed the lion shaped knocker, took a deep breath, and knocked tentatively. She could hear shuffling footsteps and a deadbolt sliding. The black door opened and a short, stout, round-faced woman squinted out. She wore a maid outfit and a tight but not unfriendly smile.

"Korra, Korra, so good to see you,” she said with a thick Chinese accent and waved her hand quickly, motioning into the house. “Come in, come in.”

“It’s good to see you, too, Mrs. Chang.” Korra would’ve smiled, but her heart was plummeting faster than a bullet train into her stomach as she silently followed Mrs. Chang inside.

The house looked like a museum. It was creepily sterile save for abstract paintings hanging on the white walls. They past a dining room, and a library with oak furniture. Mrs. Chang led her into a formal living room with a coffee table, two lounge chairs, and a brown leather couch.

“Korra, it’s been awhile.”

“It has. Good to see you, Mr. Sato.”

Hiroshi was sitting on one of the lounge chairs. He stood, all broad shoulders and confidence, and Korra shook his hand firmly. He motioned to the couch with an easy smile, and Korra took the invitation to sit down.

“Would you like some tea?” Mrs. Chang asked.

“Water, please,” Hiroshi replied.

Mrs. Chang nodded and turned her attention to Korra. Korra startled. “Oh-um-no thank you. I’m good. Thanks.”

Mrs. Chang left the room with a bow, and Hiroshi reclined and crossed his legs. He was wearing a black suit, and Korra suddenly felt underdressed and inadequate in her white blouse and navy blue skirt. She’d tried to dress sharply for the occasion.

“So,” he drawled, “what brings you here, Korra.”

Korra sat up a little straighter on the couch and folded her hands. “I would just like to start by saying sir that I love your daughter very much,” she said, her voice steady, “and I’m thankful you have raised such a beautiful and intelligent woman.”

Mrs. Chang re-entered the room, dropping off a glass of water, and Hiroshi thanked her and dismissed her. “It wasn’t easy raising her without her mother, but I’m glad my daughter has a friend like you, Korra,” he said, then took a sip of water before continuing. “She’s always talking about you. You make her very happy.”

Korra blushed. “She makes me very happy, too, and that’s why I’m here today. I want to make it official. I want to marry her and I respect you a lot so I wanted to tell you face-to-face.”

Hiroshi put his glass of water down onto the coffee table and stared at Korra. He ran a hand through his graying hair, shaking his head. “Korra—” He broke off like he didn’t know where to go from there. “You both are too young.”

“I understand that, Mr. Sato. We’re not going to get married immediately. After I graduate college, finish the police academy—“

“You think being a police officer is a good job?” Hiroshi’s voice was rising and he uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. “Korra, they don’t get paid well. Not like a doctor or a lawyer. My daughter is going to be managing a multi-billion dollar business in four years while you’ll be what, giving out traffic tickets?"

Korra tapped her foot, trying to keep her composure intact.

Hiroshi grabbed his glass of water took another sip then put it back on the coaster and leaned back. "Whatever good job you have is going to be nothing compared to what she does. You’ll just hold her back.”

Korra could feel anger rising in her chest. Bubbling up like a pot ready to boil over. Her chin tensed. “I’ve always worked very hard—“

“Yeah?” Hiroshi cut her off and smiled sickeningly sweet like he was congratulating a child. “Yeah? Good for you. The important thing here is how hard my daughter is going to have to work to get respect at Satomobiles corp. if she marries you. People in my company don’t respect this kind of marriage. You think for one minute a bunch of grown men are going to want to listen to a lesbian? No, they’re not. In fact, if the two of you get married, I will not pass down my business to Asami. I don't want you tarnishing her image. She’ll just remain one of my underpaid employees.”

Korra pushed herself off the couch, nostrils flaring. “Are you kidding me?” she shouted.

“Do I look like I’m joking?” Hiroshi deadpanned.

She pointed her finger angrily and growled, “She deserves more than that and you know it.”

He pursed his lips. “She does and I regret that I cannot give you my blessing,” he said calmly, “but I refuse to entertain your lofty daydreams. Asami’s too good for you, and it’s about time someone got that through your thick skull. She’s used to a lavish lifestyle, and you’ll _never_ be able to give her that.”

“Oh yeah? Watch me.” Korra was still standing over him, her chest rising and falling rapidly. “I’ll make sure she has _everything_ she wants and more, and I swear you’re going to eat those words until the day you die. Goodbye, Mr. Sato.”

Korra stormed out of the living room, and through the front door and into the late morning.

* * *

Korra met Asami at her favorite café a few hours later. They sat outside on the white patio seats and she told Asami almost everything that had happened, leaving out the bits about her not being “good enough”.

“Are you okay?” Asami asked in the softest voice Korra had ever heard.

“Am I okay?” Korra looked at the older woman, not really knowing what to say. “He’s your father, are _you_ okay?”

“Korra,” she said, touching her hand. “I’ll be fine. Sure, his reaction is a little… surprising and disappointing but…” Asami twisted her hands together, and Korra felt a burst of happiness at seeing the Princess cut diamond ring on her finger. “We’ll get through this. Together. I’m going to quit working for him—“

“Asami—“

Asami raised up a hand and Korra stopped speaking. Asami lowered her voice and leaned in closer. “I don’t want to work in that kind of environment if he doesn’t approve of you because of something as silly as your gender. I’m sure I can find another job. In fact, I’ve always been curious about being a hairstylist.” She sipped some of her green tea and shook her head, smiling ruefully. “We’ve been together for three years and he never once acted like he didn’t approve of our relationship. I guess he never thought we’d want to get married, huh?”

Korra faked a smile. “Guess not.”

“Which is crazy because who wouldn’t want to marry you?” Asami said earnestly. She reached back across the table and held Korra’s hand, squeezed it. “I love you.”

Korra smiled and this time it reached her eyes. “I love you, too.”

 

**ii.**

A few days after Asami’s thirtieth birthday she told Korra she wanted to have a kid.

They’d talked about it before, but this time they got into specifics.

It seemed logical. Korra was quickly climbing up the ladder of her job at the sheriff’s department, and Asami’s biological clock was starting to tick. They moved out of their one bedroom apartment in the heart of the city and into a house in the suburbs. It took up over half of Korra’s salary and was further away from her job, an hour drive on a good day, but it was what they needed. The house was one-story with three bedrooms, an open floor plan, modern granite kitchen and a beautiful backyard with plenty of space for a dog in the near future.

After the move they looked through lists and lists of sperm donors before deciding on an elementary school teacher in San Francisco that resembled Korra. That, unfortunately, wasn’t the end of their troubles, and after three failed attempts at in-home insemination, Korra was starting to lose hope. Right now, though, she pushed those nagging thoughts aside and for the first time in several weeks, enjoyed the comforts of sleeping in.

She was sleeping rather peacefully too until something nudged her side. She tried to ignore it but the nudging continued. She blinked her eyes open to find Asami sitting on the edge of the bed, watching her fondly. She was dressed for work and she smelled like coffee and Listerine.

“Hey there, sleepyhead.”

Korra yawned and buried her head back into the pillow. “Me sleep,” she grumbled.

Asami ran a soothing hand through Korra’s short hair and scratched her scalp, causing the younger woman to nearly moan out loud at the wonderful feeling. “You can go back to sleep in a minute, baby. I have big news I need to share with you.”

At that, Korra popped an eye open, curious. “Oh yeah?” she mumbled, yawning and rubbing her eyes.

“Yeah.” Asami leaned forward, smiling softly. “I’m pregnant.”

It took a while for Korra’s mind to register the words.

“Wait.” Korra blinked once, twice, then sat up, rubbing her eyes again to clear the haze. “What?”

“I’m pregnant,” Asami repeated, biting the corner of her lip to contain her smile.

“You’re pregnant,” Korra said flatly.

Asami nodded slowly.

It hit Korra like a bucket of ice cold of water. She jumped up from the bed and pulled Asami up with her.

“You’re pregnant?”

Asami nodded happily. “I’m pregnant!”

“It worked?”

“It worked!”

“Yes!” Korra cheered and fist-pumped the air. “I knew fourth time would be the charm!”

They danced around the room, laughing and crying and bumping into random objects, before they grew tired and collapsed onto the bed in a tangled heap.

“We’re going to be parents,” Korra’s said a little breathlessly and pulled Asami into an octopus hug. “You’re going to make the best child ever.”

“ _We’re_ going to make the best child ever,” Asami corrected gently and kissed the tip of Korra’s nose. “You’re just as much a part of this as I am.”

“Touché. Now let’s talk about baby names.” Korra smiled cheekily in that shit-eating grin kind of way that made Asami’s heart beat a little faster and her eyes roll at the same time. “What do you think about Korra Jr.?”

“And on that note,” Asami said, escaping Korra’s octopus hug and getting off the bed, “I think I’ll be going to work now.”

* * *

 Asami was fourteen weeks along when Korra had to go on a two-week long business trip to New York. She sat on their bed, watching her wife scramble around their room with a sad smile.

“Bolin will be coming over to check on you daily while I’m gone after he gets off of work.” Korra yelled from the en suite bathroom. “So you should see him around 8 o’clock tomorrow night. He’ll call before he gets here to make sure you’re home and see if you need anything.”

"Okay."

Korra dashed back into the bedroom, her hands full of toiletries. She dropped them onto the bed and grabbed some Ziplocs to package them. “I’m going to call you as soon as I land in New York tomorrow. Should be around 10 or so here.”

"Okay."

“Please don’t eat too many Lays while I’m gone.” Korra put a toothbrush and some travel size toothpaste in a Ziploc and sealed it. “I know you love ‘em, but… they’re just way too salty for the baby.”

Asami hummed. She wasn’t making any promises on that one.

“I got you some of those weird green smoothies you like so you can take them with you to work.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t forget to do your stretches.”

“I won’t.”

Korra plundered through her underwear drawer. “Call the doctor if you experience any discomfort, and then call me. I’ll be on the first flight back home—“

“Korra,” Asami interrupted sternly.

Korra froze, swung around, and looked at Asami with wide eyes. “What’s wrong?” she asked panicky.

It took all of Asami’s might to not to get off the bed, march up to Korra, and kiss the living daylights out of her. Her eyes were so blue and concerned and—god, she was going to miss her wife.

“I haven’t see my wife in… I don’t know how long, and now she’s leaving for two weeks, and all I want is…” Asami’s throat closed up. She was hot and cold, and her feet were sore, and her head was aching because she just wanted to Korra stay. “All I want is for you to tell me you’ll be back home soon,” she ended throatily.

“Oh, baby…” Korra dropped everything and raced over to Asami’s side. She crawled onto the bed and pulled her wife into her arms, holding her securely and rubbing up and down her arms. “I hate having to leave you like this baby, but things will get better after this trip, I promise. With this new promotion you’ll be seeing so much of me you won’t know what to do with yourself.” Korra searched Asami’s green eyes.

They were sparkling with unshed tears and uncertainty and it broke Korra’s heart. “It’s these hormones.” Asami explained. She sniffled and laughed self-depreciatingly. “They make me all… sentimental.”

“It’s perfectly normal to feel the way you do,” Korra reassured and kissed the side of her wife’s temple. “You’re so beautiful,” she murmured.

Asami flushed to her ears. “Don’t say things like that. You know how easily turned on I get these days.”

Korra smirked and raised an eyebrow, a mischievous gleam in soft blue eyes. “What if I want you to get turned on?”

Asami bit her cheek and twirled a strand of Korra’s bobbed cut hair. “Don’t start something you can’t finish, Mrs. Sato,” she warned.

“It’s a good thing I plan on finishing this then.” Korra wrapped an arm around Asami’s waist and threw them back onto the bed, dragging her laughing wife down with her.

* * *

“What do you think about Yasuko?”

It was crazy.

They were thousands of miles away from each other and talking about baby names over the phone right before bed. Considering the circumstances, though, there was nothing else in the world Korra would rather be doing.

Korra traded police uniforms for business suits and inmates for criminal case detective work but things didn’t get easier after her first trip to New York. She was sent on another one week after coming back home. Fortunately it was only going to be a four day trip. Unfortunately this was only the end of day one.

There was such a lengthy pause after her question, Korra wondered if Asami was still on the line. “You really want to name our daughter after my mom?” she asked the question so softly Korra had to strain to hear her.

“Yeah.” Korra grinned and put a hand behind her head. “I like the name, and without her I wouldn’t have you so…”

Korra trailed off, and in the silence Asami fell in love all over again. “Thank you, Korra.”

“Of course.” Korra shrugged a shoulder then remembered Asami wasn’t there and couldn’t see her. She sighed. “Anyway, it’s getting late. I should go. I have a meeting pretty early tomorrow.”

“Oh, okay.” Asami didn’t even try to mask the disappointment in her voice. Saying goodbye was always hard for them. “I… yeah. I guess I’ll… let you go then. Goodnight, Korra.”

“Goodnight, Asami.”

“I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Korra ended the call and put her phone on the nightstand. She closed her eyes tightly, willing the tears to go away.

“Is this what it feels like to be good enough, Mr. Sato?” She laughed humorlessly.

Just then her cellphone beeped, signaling a new text message. She opened her eyes and blinked several times to regain her bearings. She picked up her phone and unlocked it.

It was a text from Asami:

Sweet dreams, blue eyes. Yasuko and I are counting down the days till you come home! Love and miss you so, so much XOXO Asami

There was a picture attachment. In it Asami wore blue plaid pajama pants and a baggy grey t-shit and was holding up half a heart with her hand and making a kissy face. Korra laughed and the feeling resonated deep in her chest. She almost felt like Asami was there with her in her hotel room, and suddenly she felt lighter. Happier.

Korra took a selfie holding up half a heart with the opposite hand Asami had used and sent it. She turned her phone off, smiling. Now this was a good way to end her night. 

* * *

They were going on their first real date in years and Asami was ecstatic. It just so happened to be the same day as their anniversary which made it even more romantic because they’d only spent two anniversaries together.

Asami had made a call a month ago to a restaurant called Iroh’s to make reservations. Iroh’s was the kind of place with white clothed tabletops, candles, big windows with an ocean view, and waiters that dressed like penguins, but acted like butlers.

Asami waddled to a white caped table right next to a window. The restaurant was decently crowded for a Wednesday night, but not overly so. The waiter stood patiently at the table and helped Asami into her seat.

The waiter was a tall young man with a round face and a sunny disposition. “How many weeks along are you ma’am?” he asked. “If you don’t mind me asking.”

It was a question Asami got often these days. “Twenty-six weeks,” she answered easily, one hand lovingly rubbing her protruding belly.

“Oh wow,” he said, smiling, “congratulations.”

Asami smiled back. “Thank you.”

“Would you like anything to drink while you wait?”

Asami hesitated. Korra was supposed to get off early tonight, but knowing her wife, she’d be a few minutes late. “Water with lemon would be nice, please.”

“Okay, I’ll get that and some bread. Be right back.”

Water and bread came and went along with the time and an appetizer. Asami glanced irritably at her cellphone for the one-hundredth time since arriving at the restaurant. An hour and a half had gone by with no new texts, or calls, or anything. She shoved it into her black clutch, sighing disappointedly.

She had been really looking forward to spending some quality time with her wife. They rarely got to do anything together these days due to Korra’s job. They only saw each other at doctor’s visits or late at night, and Asami hated it.

She ordered her food to-go because damn it, Korra wasn’t going to make her miss out on having a good meal, and she tried to ignore the look of pity on the waiter’s face as she waddled out of the restaurant with a to-go bag and slightly broken heart.

* * *

Korra didn’t know what woke her, or how she’d fallen asleep, or where the hell she was. She sat straight up, rubbing her eyes and looking around disoriented.

“Good, you’re awake.”

“Asami?” Korra yawned and stretched. Now that she was awake, she knew what woke her up. It was the heat of her wife’s glare as she stood in the doorway dressed in an elegant red dress and sky high heels. “Wow, you look nice. What’s the special occasion?”

Asami’s glare did not waver and her arms did not uncross and Korra knew she was in deep, deep, deep trouble. “Just our anniversary, dear.”

Korra blinked several times. “Oh shit.” She scrambled up from the bed, tripping over her clothes laying on the floor, and walked up to Asami. She wanted to hug her wife, apologize through her actions.

But Asami looked like a raging bull ready to attack, so now probably wasn’t the best time for a hug.

“I’m so, so sorry, Asami. I completely forgot.”

“Did you not get my texts—you know what, don't answer that. In face, don’t even worry about it.” Asami said, smiling dejectedly. “I'm used to you forgetting about me these days,”

Korra frowned. “Whoa, there. Hold up.” She grabbed Asami’s elbow gently before the older woman could completely walk past her. “Now that’s not true.”

“It kind of is, Korra,” Asami snarled, yanking her arm out of Korra’s hold. “We’re not married. We’re merely two people who happen to live together and see each other every now and then.”

Korra was not in the mood for this. She just woke up and she was still exhausted from work. “Can we talk about this in the morning?” she asked. “Before I go to work.”

Asami said, “Sure, whatever,” before going to the bathroom and slamming the door shut.

By the time Asami woke up, Korra was gone to work. They didn’t talk about it in the morning or any time after that.

 

**iii.**

“How long will you be gone?”

Asami asked the question casually as if they were talking about the weather. She was standing in front of the sink, washing dishes from breakfast. Korra dropped her fork and stopped bouncing Yasuko on her leg.

“It’s a big case. Six months,” she answered somberly.

Asami sucked in a sharp breath but otherwise showed no reaction. She kept her back turned and continued washing dishes.

Yasuko looked up at her mama. Her big blue-green eyes were already nearly red and her nose was scrunched up. Korra’s heart twisted painfully in her chest for two reasons: she looked just like Asami and there was a tantrum steadily on its way. “No,” the four-year yelled in-between tears. “No!”

“Yasuko—“

“No! No mama! Don’t go!” She wrapped her arms Korra’s neck and held on tightly.

Asami quickly dried her hands with a dish rag when she heard Yasuko screaming and crying and tried to pick her daughter up from Korra’s lap. “Sweetheart—“

“NO!” Yasuko blew snot onto Korra’s neck and Korra titled her head, smiling apologetically at Asami over their daughter’s head.

“Don’t yell at mommy, Yasuko. Apologize.”

“Sorry.” Yasuko’s sniffles quieted as Korra rubbed soothing circles on her back. “Why you leave me mama?” she asked.

Korra’s lips parted but no words came out for a while. “I have to go to work. I’ll be back soon, sunshine.”

“You don’t love me. If you did you stay.”

Korra frowned and repositioned Yasuko so that she could look her in the eyes. Her nose was snotty and her eyes were red-rimmed, but she wasn’t screaming and crying anymore so Korra counted that as a small victory. “I wish I could stay,” she said seriously. “I go to work because I love you very much, Yasuko, and I want you to have the very best things in life.”

Yasuko sniffled. Asami grabbed some tissues from a tissue box on the countertop and wiped their daughter’s nose. “Can I go with you?”

Korra gave a watery laugh and kissed Yasuko on the forehead. “I wish you could, sunshine, but it’s too dangerous. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Yasuko.” Asami smiled encouragingly and pointed to the living room. “Go draw mama a picture for her trip. I’m sure she’d love that.”

“Okay.” Yasuko sniffled one more time and hopped off Korra’s lap, heading towards the living room.

Asami watched their daughter go and pick up crayons and a piece of paper before speaking. “I can’t keep doing this, Korra,” she said in a low voice.

Korra rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands and sighed. “I’m doing the best I can, Asami.”

“You’re never home.”

“I’m home now, aren’t I?”

Asami narrowed her eyes. “Don’t be a smartass.”

“I’m not trying to be.”

“Then just listen to me for once, okay?” Asami pleaded. She sat down in the chair across from her wife and crossed her legs.

Korra acquiesced. “Okay.”

“Thank you,” Asami said tightly. “I feel like I’m a single parent, Korra. Our daughter needs you and you’re not physically here. I never see you anymore. I wake up, you’re not there. I go to bed, you’re not there. I can’t remember the last time we made love, or went on a date, or even had a conversation”

Korra ducked her head guiltily. She couldn’t remember either.

“And now you’ll be leaving in two days and going away for _six fucking months_ and I just…” Asami ran a hand over her face. “I can’t, Korra. I can’t keep doing this. I need you home.”

Korra didn’t know what to say. How to make everything better. How to fix things. So she didn't say anything. She got up from the table, her mind running a million different ways with a million different thoughts. “I need to finish re-packing.”

Two days fly by and next thing Korra knows she’s on an early morning flight back to New York City.

* * *

She shouldn’t be surprised when she comes home one week early after six months and there’s boxes all over the house.

She shouldn’t be surprised, but she is.

Korra walked into her bedroom to see Asami packing a suitcase. She dropped her own suitcase to the floor and Asami jumped. “Asami, what’s going on? What are you doing? Why are there boxes all over the house?”

“You’re home early.” Asami looked tired. Withdrawn. Not the least bit happy or surprised to see Korra like Korra had expected. Had hoped.

“Where’s Yasuko?” Korra demanded. 

“Yasuko’s with your parents right now.” Asami stopped what she was doing and turned to face her wife fully. “I found a nice apartment in a good neighborhood not too far from here and we’re moving. And by we I mean me and Yasuko.”

Korra felt dizzy, cold, like her whole world was falling apart rapidly from beneath her feet. She sat down on the edge of the bed. “You can’t… what… why…“

“You’ll be able to see Yasuko on weekends and holidays.” Asami paused and shook her head. “Or, you know, whenever you’re in the city.”

Korra wanted to approach her wife, wanted to shake some sense into her, kiss her and make her stay, but she knew she didn’t have that right. She’d lost that right a long time ago.

So instead Korra did something she’d never done before. She begged. “Asami don’t… don’t do this to me.”

“Wow, are you... are you _serious_ right now?” Asami pinched the bridge of her nose, her eyes hard. “You did this to yourself, Korra.” She grabbed the suitcase and marched out of the room.

* * *

The rare Los Angeles rain was falling harder when Korra pulled her car into the garage. There were bags upon bags in her trunk, but she was too exhausted to even think about dragging them out and into the house right now.

She sluggishly got out of her car and slammed the door shut then she dawdled into the house.

It had been a full week since the last time her family lived here.

Korra had never felt more alone and the house had never felt emptier. Even being thousands of miles away from LA did not make her feel this homesick and nauseous.

She slipped her suit jacket off, dropped it carelessly to the floor, and moved to the kitchen. She opened the fridge robotically and took out a bottle of Vodka. She ditched the glasses and brought the bottle with her to the living room.

Just as she was getting comfortable on the couch for another night of drinking, crying, and throwing up, a pounding knock sounded on her door. Korra was tempted to ignore it, figuring if it was anybody important they would call her.

The pounding continued, though, and Korra grumpily got up. She checked the peephole and opened the door. Bolin stormed through like he owned the place.

She frowned and closed the door. “Bolin, what are you-?”

“I’m staging an intervention,” he cut in, venturing into the kitchen and grabbing a trash bag. He began bagging up bottles of liquor that littered her house, even grabbing Korra’s newly opened bottle and tossing it in the trash.

Korra glared but her head hurt too much to argue. She plopped back down on the living room couch and closed her eyes. “I don’t need an intervention. Why are you really here?”

“Because you need a friend to help you get your head out of your ass.”

Korra felt her headache intensify. “What I need is my family back.”

"You think pouting and drinking yourself into a stupor is going to make that happen?”

Korra stayed silent.

Bolin sighed, tied up the trashbag, and left it near the garage door. He came back into the living room, rounded the couch,  picked Korra’s legs up, sat down, and placed them on his lap.  “Look, Korra," he said softly, "I get it, okay? I know why you’re doing this. You want the best for them and Hiroshi probably told you once that you aren’t good enough for Asami, so now you work your ass off trying to prove him wrong.”

“Los Angeles is an expensive place to live, Bo—“

“Oh, don’t give me that bullshit. You don’t have to work the way you do. You do that by choice. We’ve known each all our lives and you’ve always acted like you had something to prove.”

Korra sighed, putting her face in her hands. “All I want is to give Asami and Yasuko everything they want. Now I’ve lost them.”

Bolin pulled Korra up into a hug and she collapsed into him. The bags under her eyes were pronounced and she looked exhausted. He smiled, bittersweet, and rubbed her back. “You haven’t lost them. You and Asami are still lawfully married. There’s still a chance to fix things. But first, Korra, and I’m telling you this as someone who loves you, you need to fix yourself.”

**iiii.**

 

Korra was going out on a limb. She knew she was, but she put her pride and fear aside like she’d been trying to do for the past four months, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door.

Asami opened it, and Korra lost her breath for a second. It felt like she was seeing her wife for the first time all over again. She was wearing a simple white dress and red lipstick and Korra just wanted to get lost in her beautiful green eyes that reminded Korra of the spring weather outside.

Asami had her arms crossed, hugging herself. “What do you want, Korra?” she asked warily. “It’s not the weekend.”

Korra shuffled awkwardly from one foot to the other. “Can I talk to you, please?”

“Mama!”

Next thing Korra knew there was a six year old barreling around Asami and nearly knocking Korra over as she slammed into her legs. Korra laughed. “Yasuko,” she said warmly. She picked her daughter up and gave her a loud wet kiss on the cheek. Yasuko scrunched up her face but smiled happily. “Have you been behaving for mommy?”

Yasuko nodded quickly. “I have. We’re-we’re about to go to the park,” she said excitedly then asked in a softer tone, a hopeful tone, “Are you coming?”

Korra glanced over Yasuko’s head. Asami was watching her with an inscrutable expression, but she nodded her head, giving her approval, and Korra let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “Yeah, if that’s okay with you?” Korra teased, addressing their daughter.

Yasuko laughed like that was the craziest thing she’d ever heard in all of her six years of life. “Yes!” Korra gently put her down and Yasuko quickly grabbed her hand and started swinging it. “We’re going to the park, we’re going to the park, we’re goingggg to the park!”

Asami had a faraway look on her face but she snapped back into action when their daughter finished singing. “I just need to get my, um, my purse.”

“Okay, take your time. I’ll just wait out here with sunshine.”

Asami turned around, but then stopped and faced Korra again why a small, shy smile “Or, you could come inside. And wait. I’ll only be a few minutes. There’s a few other things I need to do.”

“Oh." Korra nodded her head but then realized no words were coming out. "Okay. Cool. That’s cool. If you’re okay with that.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.”

Korra followed Asami inside with an eager Yasuko skipping beside her. The apartment was homey and small but had an open floor plan that made it look deceivingly bigger. The kitchen was modern and the walls were white and the furniture was light green and airy. She was impressed with what Asami had done with the place, but the older woman had always had an eye for these kind of things.

Asami came back out into the main room a minute later with a red purse hanging on her shoulder. “Ready to go?” she asked, jingling her keys.

“Yeah!” Yasuko cheered.

Korra smiled genuinely for the first time in awhile when she noticed the wedding ring on Asami’s finger, sparkling brightly against her skin, matching Korra's own wedding ring. Hope and determination fluttered and blossomed in her chest while her stomach felt like a zoo was running rampant inside of it. She didn’t quit her job and start working a 9 to 5 with weekends and holiday's off for nothing, and seeing that wedding ring gave her confidence she didn't have before.

She walked over to Asami, grabbed her left hand, and kissed it. Asami flushed and Korra smiled softly. “Ready.”

Korra went to retract her hand, but Asami held on tight, not letting her go. “The park is a little ways from here. You sure you got the time?”

It was a test.

“For you two, I have all the time in the world.”

And Korra passed with flying colors if the smile on Asami’s face was any indication. “Okay," she said, nodding. "Let’s go.”

The three of them left the apartment hand in hand. Korra knew they had a long road ahead of them, but she was confident they’d be okay.

Years later she'd look back on this day and think it was the best decision she ever made. Nobody said marriage was going to be easy, but when you’re with the right person, it’s definitely worth the try.


End file.
